


Why I Keep You Around

by DiabolicalDeeds



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7580587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiabolicalDeeds/pseuds/DiabolicalDeeds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin knows he loves Arthur. Arthur is surprised to find himself kissing his manservant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why I Keep You Around

\---ღ---

Arthur has asked Merlin to polish his armour. He has to polish every piece that makes its way over Arthur’s right arm and chest. He’s plopped on the floor sitting cross legged in the middle of Arthur’s chambers. He really shouldn’t be using the prince’s floor as his workspace but Arthurs off at a knighting ceremony or something and Merlin plans to have it done before he gets back. He smiles as he places down the now clean piece and looks over at what’s still dirty with a frown. The door to Arthur’s chambers bursts opens and Arthur strolls in. Merlin jumps, startled from the loud noise.

“Merlin are you seriously polishing my armour in my chambers?” He whines.

“Well yes, but- I.”

Arthur sighs and strolls to his wardrobe.

“I was coming here to go to bed but I don’t suppose I’m going to get much sleep with that ratchet your making.”

Just as Arthur says that Merlin drops a piece of Arthurs armour as it slips out of his hands as he scrubbed it. It clangs harshly against the cool palace floor. Arthur just sighs and kicks his boots off throwing them in one corner of the room without much care, Merlin watches noting that he’ll have to put them away later.

“Sorry, I’ll take this to Gaius’ place so you can sleep.”

“No its fine you’re almost done anyway, right?”

Merlin looks to the pile of unpolished armour, it’s a lot larger than the pile of polished armour he notices. Arthur’s eyes follow Merlins and he sighs once again.

“You really are a horrible manservant.”

Merlin casts his eyes downward slightly ashamed.

“I should have done a spell” He whispers.

“What?”

“Nothing, I’ll pick up the pace.”

“Ugh let me help, if I want to ever get to sleep tonight.”

Merlin starts to laugh.

“You're going to help your servant polish your armour? Doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of having me around?” Merlin laughs amused.

“I mean have you ever polished anything in your life? I don’t want you to get blisters.” Merlin coughs face turning serious when he sees the glare Arthurs gives him. “Uh- Sire.”

Arthur doesn’t say anything just rolls his eyes and quietly walks over to sit on the floor across from Merlin their knees brushing together for a second. Merlin continues rubbing the armour with his rag in attempt to get all the dirt off the metal piece and have it shining again. There are no short cuts just hard work to make everything shine again, unless you use magic of course.

“Well it doesn’t look that hard you just wipe it. If you can do it surely I can.”

Merlin ignores the prince and continues scrubbing. Arthur snatches the rag and piece out of his hands.

“You take too long, look.”

Arthurs gives one scrub to the front and one to the back before throwing the metal piece into the polished pile, it lands with an obnoxious noise.

“No you didn’t do it right.” Merlin mumbles

“What do you mean? It’s fine.” Arthur insists.

Merlin picks up the piece, inspecting it.

“See you have to scrub harder it’s still dirty, it needs to shine. If I did a job like this you would have fired me a long time ago.” Merlin laughs.

“Oh I’ve thought about it trust me.” Arthur replies, Merlin gulps. “Let me see.” Arthur insists hand making a motion towards himself.

Arthur leans his head down to look closely as the piece of armour in Merlins hands, placing the rag down. “Huh.”

“I know it’s a servant’s job and all but that doesn’t make it easy.” Merlin almost whispers.

Their faces are only inches apart looking at the goddamn piece of metal that would have been polished by now if Arthur didn’t have to be such a twat. “You’re right, maybe I don’t give you enough credit.” Arthur mumbles so quiet Merlin doesn’t almost hear him.

“Ha! Did I hear that right?” Merlin chuckles.

“Oh shut up Merlin, or I will fire you and hire someone who complains less.”

“Right.” Merlin avoids his gaze and picks ups the rag, scrubbing the armour once again. He can still feel Arthur’s eyes on him, now watching the servant’s hands.

Merlin gulps. The prince still has his face awfully close to Merlins watching him work. After what seems like ages he’s finished that piece and smiles at his work, placing it in the polished pile.

Merlin looks up the see Arthur gaze still on him.

“Look I’ll take this home and have it ready by morning you need your rest.”

Merlin gets up on his knees reaching for the bag he keeps the princes armour in. 

“No! Merlin wait.” Arthur booms.

Merlin as clumsy as he is , becomes startled and somehow falls forward onto the prince knocking him downward and pinning him down.

“Merlin you idiot, get off me!” Arthur shoves the boy off him and sits up.

“Honestly Merlin how do you even manage to get out of bed in the morning, without breaking a leg?”

“My apologies sire, but why can’t I leave.”

Arthur eyes his servant for a second before he does the unthinkable. Arthur lurches forward crashing his lips against Merlin’s for less than a second before pulling away and standing up, almost jumping back a metre.

“Uh no you can leave you’re done for the day.”

Merlin looks up at his master, stunned. He shakes his head and comes back to reality questioning whether it even happened or whether his affection for Arthur had started causing him to lose his sanity. However the way his lips tingle slightly means it must have happened.

“Ok I’ll just pack this up so I can take it-“

“No its fine you can do it tomorrow, just leave.”

“Um ok I guess I get you ready for bed then.”

“Yes, get up.”

Merlin stands going through his usual night routine, shaking slighting and trying to ignore the obvious awkward tension that is spreading through the room in thick suffocating waves. He picks up Arthurs boots and places them in their spot. He then open the covers to Arthur’s bed allowing him to be able to slip in when he’s ready. Arthur removes his shirt and thrusts it at Merlin chest. Merlin is pushed back a bit but manages to grab the shirt and places it in the washing basket which is almost full, Merlin will have to wash tomorrow he thinks. Arthur climbs into bed with a red face and clenched fists, turning away from Merlin.

“Night sire.” Merlin gulps covering the last candle still burning in the room, the absence of oxygen causes the flame to die. Not expecting a reply he creeps out of the princes chambers, closing the door quietly behind him.

Arthur turns to lie on his back, starting up and questioning why the hell he had done that. Merlin drives him utterly insane, however he knew that he had developed feelings for the boy somehow. Why else would he have kept him around? He’s horrible at being a servant and has gotten himself and Arthur in trouble plenty of times. However he didn’t have to act on these feelings and now who knows what will happen. Merlin may tell his father or the people, or worse Merlin may retire as Arthur’s manservant. There’s just something about Merlin that Arthur is drawn too, like an imaginable tie, pulling them together no matter how hard Arthur tries to pull away.

_God the look on his face made Arthur feel like a monster._

“You really screwed up this time Arthur.” He mumbles to himself, preparing a long night with little sleep and thinking of possible candidates for a new manservant.

Not too far away from the prince a young warlock lays in his bed wondering what on earth possessed the future king to kiss him but feeling hopeful, maybe Arthur loved him, maybe just maybe the prince loved Merlin as Merlin loved the prince.

\---ღ---

The next morning Merlin enters Arthur’s room carrying the prince’s breakfast. Merlin didn’t get much sleep last night. Excitement pumped through his veins until the early hours of the morning when his mind finally stopped racing with thoughts of Arthur kissing and his body finally decided it was time to sleep.

Arthur didn’t sleep much last night either however it was not excitement that kept him awake, rather it was fear. When Merlin enters the prince’s room he see Arthur is awake, surprisingly and even sitting up in his bed, starting at the wall.

“Morning sire.”

Arthur looks over to Merlin.

“About time I’m starving.”

Merlin has a big grin on his face, waiting for Arthur to mention something about last night or even kiss him again.

“Well what are you standing there for? And what on earth are you grinning at?”

Merlin is shaken out of his thoughts and brings the prince’s breakfast to him.

“Arthur?”

“Hmmm.” Arthur asks taking a bite of the bread Merlin bought him.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did?”

“Huh right well something else.”

“Yes Merlin, out with it.”

“Why exactly did you kiss me last night?”

Arthur coughs choking on his food a little.

“Alright Merlin I have some chores for you to do today first I’ll need you to get me some sup-“

That’s when Merlin stops listening. It was a mistake, Arthur thought it was a mistake. It makes sense.

_It only lasted for a second and it was messy, a messy mistake._

\---ღ---

Before lunchtime but after Arthur’s morning training with the knights. Merlin enters Arthur’s chambers to see him packing.

“Ah Merlin, did you get everything?”

“What?”

“I asked you to get me supplies today, remember?”

“Supplies? For what?”

“I told you this morning I’ve decided to go hunting this afternoon.”

“What why?”

“Honestly Merlin did you even hear I word I said this morning? What have you been doing all this time?”

“I-I finished polishing your armour.” Merlin holds out the bag off now polished armour sheepishly. “And I did you’re laundry.”

“Well now I’m not going to be able to set out straight after lunch as planned.”

Merlin looks at the prince shocked. This passive aggressiveness is getting ridiculous and now Arthur just wants to go hunting to get away from him?

“I’m sorry okay! I’m sorry I’m and horrible servant, I’m sorry you kissed me by mistake and I’m sorry I love you!” Merlins face changes from anger to shock knowing his is going to cope it now. He may even be sent to the King to explain himself.  

Arthurs sighs. “Is that what you think? That I kissed you by mistake?”

Merlin shrugs. Arthur takes a few steps forward standing right in front of his servant.

“Look Merlin I don’t know why I kissed you. I mean I do, it’s because I wanted to, and I have these feelings that I don’t understand and I guess I just acted on them-.”

Merlin looks down and Arthur raises his hand and places in on the side of Merlin’s face, stroking his thumb along Merlins cheek.

“Can I kiss you, again?” Arthurs whispers.

Merlin looks up, eyes blown wide and cheeks flushed. He nods his head and Arthur leans in, gently placing his lips on the other boy. This kiss is completely different to the one from last night. Last night was tight unsuspecting lips banging together but this, this is lips gently touching, and tongues lightly poking into the others mouth, hands finding bony hips, bony hands finding handfuls of blonde hair to grasp, pressing against one another. They pull away, all too soon it seems.

“This is worse than when I had a crush on Gwen.”

“Well that’s because you didn’t kiss her.”

“Well actually I did.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, but at least she was a woman how the hell can I tell my father I love my manservant.”

“Love?”

“You said it first.”

“It’s true, I do love you Arthur Pendragon.”

“And I you.”

“Do you really have to go hunting?”

“No, I was only going to avoid you.”

“I figured.”

“I was worried you hated me.”

“I wish I hated you.”

“Oh shut it.”

“So what now?”

“Honestly I have no idea.”

“Oh.”

“No I mean I want us to be together, but we can’t while my father is still king.”

“Who says he has to know?” Merlin asks with a grin. Arthur grins right back at him an array or perfect royal white teeth.

“You would be happy to keep it a secret?”

“You’d be surprised at how good I am at keeping secrets.” Merlin frowns.

“Alright then it’s settled.”

Arthur smiles sweetly and Merlin can’t help kissing him again.

“You still have to be my manservant, it’ll be a good cover.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Good because I have some chores for you to do.”

Merlin groans and Arthur grins.

“I need you to make my bed.”

“But I already made it, I made it this morning while you were getting dressed.”

“Right.” Arthur ponders appearing to be in thought. He then breaks out into a grin and leans down grabbing Merlin under his butt and pulling him over his shoulder, starting to walk over to the bed.

“Arthur what the- put me down!”

“Merlin I’ve lifted swords heavier then you.” Arthur chuckles, reaching the bed and plopping Merlin down.

“Well that’s a bit of an exaggeration.” Merlin’s frown is quickly gone as he finds Prince Arthur following him onto the bed and laying on top of him.

“Now you’ll have to make the bed.”

“Oh.”

\---ღ---

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting a fic so I hope it wasn't too bad, maybe a little cheesy I'll admit. Constructive feedback is most certainly welcome. Hope you enjoyed! :)


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